CPP Enhancement 2024: How to Get $3,500 More in Retirement Income

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Key Takeaways

The CPP enhancement is a gradual increase in the CPP benefits and contributions that started in 2019 and will continue until 2025.
The CPP enhancement will increase the CPP retirement pension from 25% to 33.33% of your average work earnings, and the maximum limit of earnings protected by the CPP will also increase by 14% between 2024 and 2025.
The CPP enhancement will result in a significant boost in your retirement income, especially if you contribute to the enhanced CPP for a long time. For example, if you retire in 2024 after making enhanced contributions for 40 years, you could receive up to $3,500 more per year in CPP benefits than under the previous rules.
The CPP enhancement will also affect other CPP benefits, such as the disability pension, the survivor’s pension, and the post-retirement benefit. These benefits will also increase based on your enhanced contributions and earnings history.
The CPP enhancement is a positive change for Canadians who want to secure their financial future and enjoy a comfortable retirement. However, it also means that you will have to pay higher CPP contributions while you are working. You should plan ahead and adjust your budget and savings accordingly.

What is the Canada Pension Plan (CPP)?

The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) is one of the main pillars of Canada’s retirement income system, along with the Old Age Security (OAS) program and private savings. The CPP is a contributory, earnings-related social insurance program that provides monthly benefits to eligible Canadian seniors to help cover living expenses in retirement. The CPP also provides benefits to disabled contributors and their families, and to the survivors of deceased contributors.

The CPP is funded by the contributions of employees, employers, and self-employed people, as well as the revenue earned on CPP investments. All working Canadians over the age of 18 must contribute a percentage of their earnings to the CPP, up to a maximum limit. The amount of CPP benefits you receive depends on how much and for how long you contribute to the CPP, and your earnings history.

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The CPP covers almost all employed and self-employed people in Canada, except for Quebec, which operates its own similar plan, the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP). The CPP and the QPP are coordinated to ensure that workers who move between the two provinces do not lose their pension rights.

What is the CPP Enhancement?

The CPP enhancement is a progressive and gradual increase in the CPP benefits and contributions that started in 2019 and will continue until 2025. The CPP enhancement is the result of an agreement between the federal government and the provinces in 2016, to improve the retirement security of Canadians and address the challenges of an aging population, longer life expectancy, lower birth rates, and declining workplace pension coverage.

The CPP enhancement has two main objectives:

To increase the CPP retirement pension from 25% to 33.33% of your average work earnings, up to a maximum limit. This means that the CPP will replace a larger portion of your income when you retire, and provide you with a higher monthly benefit for life.
To increase the maximum limit of earnings protected by the CPP by 14% between 2024 and 2025. This means that the CPP will cover a higher range of earnings, and allow you to contribute and receive benefits on a larger amount of your income.

The CPP enhancement consists of two additional components that are added to the base CPP:

The first additional component, which was phased in between 2019 and 2023. This component increases the CPP contribution rate by 1% for both employees and employers (or 2% for self-employed people) on earnings up to the yearly maximum pensionable earnings (YMPE). The YMPE is the maximum amount of earnings on which you must contribute to the CPP each year, and it is adjusted annually based on the average wage growth in Canada. In 2022, the YMPE is $66,600.
The second additional component, which will be phased in between 2024 and 2025. This component introduces a second, higher earnings limit, called the yearly additional maximum pensionable earnings (YAMPE). The YAMPE will be 7% above the YMPE in 2024, and 14% above the YMPE in 2025 and later years. This component also increases the CPP contribution rate by 4% for both employees and employers (or 8% for self-employed people) on earnings between the YMPE and the YAMPE.

The CPP enhancement only affects those who work and contribute to the CPP in 2019 or after. If you started receiving CPP benefits before 2019, or you stopped working before 2019, the CPP enhancement will not affect you.

How Will the CPP Enhancement Boost Your Retirement Income?

The CPP enhancement will result in a significant boost in your retirement income, especially if you contribute to the enhanced CPP for a long time. The amount of the increase will depend on how much and for how long you contribute to the enhanced CPP, and your earnings history.

According to the government of Canada, the CPP enhancement will increase the maximum CPP retirement pension by more than 50% for those who make enhanced contributions for 40 years. For example, if you retire in 2024 after making enhanced contributions for 40 years, you could receive up to $3,500 more per year in CPP benefits than under the previous rules. This is equivalent to an extra $291 per month in your pocket.

The CPP enhancement will also affect other CPP benefits, such as the disability pension, the survivor’s pension, and the post-retirement benefit. These benefits will also increase based on your enhanced contributions and earnings history. For example, if you become disabled in 2024 after making enhanced contributions for 40 years, you could receive up to $4,600 more per year in CPP disability benefits than under the previous rules. This is equivalent to an extra $383 per month to help you cope with your disability.

The CPP enhancement is a positive change for Canadians who want to secure their financial future and enjoy a comfortable retirement. However, it also means that you will have to pay higher CPP contributions while you are working. You should plan ahead and adjust your budget and savings accordingly.

How to Apply for the CPP Retirement Pension?

If you are eligible for the CPP retirement pension, you can apply online or by mail. You should apply at least six months before you want to start receiving your pension. You can start receiving your pension as early as age 60, or as late as age 70. The earlier you start, the lower your monthly benefit will be. The later you start, the higher your monthly benefit will be.

To apply online, you need to have a My Service Canada Account. To apply by mail, you need to complete and sign the application form and mail it to the nearest Service Canada office. You can find the application form and more information on how to apply on the Canada Pension Plan – Retirement Pension page.

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Conclusion

The CPP enhancement is a major improvement to Canada’s retirement income system, that will provide higher and more secure benefits to retired and disabled Canadians and their families. The CPP enhancement will increase the CPP retirement pension from 25% to 33.33% of your average work earnings, and the maximum limit of earnings protected by the CPP will also increase by 14% between 2024 and 2025. The CPP enhancement will result in a significant boost in your retirement income, especially if you contribute to the enhanced CPP for a long time. For example, if you retire in 2024 after making enhanced contributions for 40 years, you could receive up to $3,500 more per year in CPP benefits than under the previous rules.

If you want to learn more about the CPP enhancement and how it affects you, you can visit the Canada Pension Plan enhancement page, or contact Service Canada.